Chipotle-Peanut Brittle

I've been enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon, windows open, uncharacteristic August breeze rustling the papers that I should be cleaning off of my desk, looking through old food magazines while listening to Prairie Home Companion on NPR. Could I be any more content? I suppose I could add a glass of wine, but I also have a whole night to myself to watch chick flicks, drink wine, and eat ice cream. I must pace myself. I'll stick with my iced green tea with honey--a recent successful kitchen experiment.

In one of these magazines, I ran across this recipe for Chipotle Peanut Brittle. I made this a few months ago and it was addictive. I don't know why I never wrote a post about it, but I mean to remedy that right now. If you like the southern classic combo of sweet and salty, with a modern and unusual smoky-spicy twist, you will love these. Take these to any party, cookout, potluck, etc., and I promise you, you will be the most popular person there. Everyone will think you are a genius--even if they say they don't like peanuts, peanut brittle, or chipotle. Put them together, and it's magic. When the baking soda hits the pan and the whole mixture bubbles up like a cauldron--that's when it happens. The magic.

So give these a try--I hope they'll quickly become a kitchen classic for you. You do need a candy thermometer, but these are inexpensive and you can pick one up the baking aisle of the grocery store.

Chipotle Peanut Brittle

(adapted from Cooking Light, May 2009)

Cooking spray

Parchment paper (usually found with the foil in the grocery store, or it might be in the baking section)

1 cup sugar

1 cup light-colored corn syrup

1 T butter

1 (11.5 oz.) container salted, dry-roasted peanuts

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. chipotle chile powder

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; spray well with cooking spray. Set aside anther sheet of equal size, sprayed with cooking spray.

2. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 18 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 275 F, stirring frequently. Add peanuts; cook 3 minutes or until the thermometer registers 295 F, stirring constantly.

3. Remove from heat; add baking soda and chile powder. The mixture will bubble up and become opaque.

4. Working quickly, pour the mixture onto the sprayed parchment and cover with the second sheet, sprayed side on the brittle. Using a rolling pin, quickly roll mixture to an even thickness. (After I rolled it, I also smoothed it by hand with an oven mitt on.) Remove top parchment sheet.

5. Cool completely. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Yields approximately 28 servings (1 oz. each).